Monday, 7 March 2016

Fayan Wenyi [W-G: Fa-yen Wen-i / J: Hogen Bun’eki]

After
completing his training with Luohan Chichen, Fayan Wenyi became a teacher in
his own right.

A
student named Hsuanze came to the temple and took part in the daily life of the
monastery but never made use of the opportunity for private interviews with the
teacher which is a standard tool used to hone the understanding of Zen
students. One day, Fayan asked Hsuanze why he had not sought to take part in
these interviews.

“When studying with my previous
teacher,” Hsuanze explained, “it was my good fortune to have my mind’s eye
opened somewhat, and I believe I’ve acquired some insight into this matter of
Zen.”

“Is that so,” Fayan said. “So,
tell me about this insight.”

“When I asked my Master who the
Buddha was, he told me, ‘Bingting comes for fire.’”

“That’s a fine reply,” Fayan
said with admiration. “However, I’m afraid that you might have misunderstood
what your master was saying. Tell me, in your own words, what do you think he
meant?”

“Well,” the student replied,
“Bingting is the god of fire, and so, of course, his nature is fire. It’s
clearly ridiculous to suggest that one whose nature is fire should have to come
for fire. In the same way, the nature of human beings is Buddha-nature; so it’s
just as ridiculous for one whose nature is already Buddha-awareness to ask
another who the Buddha was.”

“Uh-huh!” said Fayan, nodding
his head. “It’s as I expected. You didn’t understand.”

“I didn’t?” the student said
with surprise. “In that case, please instruct me. What would you say?”

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Contemporary Zen

Rick McDaniel

Rick McDaniel was raised in Indiana and moved to Canada in
1967, where he taught at the University of New Brunswick and Saint Thomas
University before taking up a career in International Development and Fair
Trade. He is the creator of the YMCA Peace Medallion. A long time Zen
practitioner, he is the author of five books on the subject, including Cypress
Trees in the Garden and Catholicism and Zen.